


Vanguard

by carriecmoney



Series: Scarf Dance: HQ!ATLA AU [4]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Avatar & Benders Setting, Diary/Journal, Explicit Language, Gen, Minor Violence, mentioned animal abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-03
Updated: 2017-03-03
Packaged: 2018-09-28 02:22:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10066106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carriecmoney/pseuds/carriecmoney
Summary: A pocket journal, letters home, and practice reports. Tiles that form a handprint. An epistolary spinoff to "Caravan" from the POV of the Seijoh second years.





	

**Author's Note:**

> {A/N: So!! This project has been a long time in the making - not just in its plot, but in my frustration with diary-formatted fiction that didn't read like an actual diary at all. I've always wanted an excuse to write the real deal, and so here it is. This first chapter is entirely Kyoutani's POV about his month separated from the pack in Caravan, since, as I imply in the plot, he did not go to the North Pole with the rest of the Seijoh crew, but stayed behind to watch the animals. There are a few shenanigans on the way :) Future chapters will include Watari's letters to a girlie friend and Yahaba's 'practice' reports to Oikawa for reasons Caravan will soon disclose. This is gonna be a different kind of spinoff than usual, but I'm looking forward to it!
> 
> Quick note RE: dates: I couldn't really write this kind of fic without dates, but of course, the Avatarverse doesn't have a canon calendar. For the sake of sanity, I'm going with the Gregorian month/date count and the year markers the Wikia uses, indexing from the year of Sozin's Comet. This chapter takes place in "June" of 45 AG (After Genocide). I know it's probably not what would actually be written, but I'm working with what I've got here.
> 
> If there are any other clarity questions about the format or about Ken's informal nicknames, just let me know and I'll address them! This fic is still very much a work in progress :)

6.4.45

Everyone left today. Only a few of the old farts stuck back with me and the featherbrains. It should be quieter now, especially with the nag and the shithead gone. They left about noon. Looks like the farts are just gonna piss away the break. Should give me plenty of time with the featherbrains without anyone bothering me. – K

6.5.45

Slept in the stables last night. No one noticed. Entire town hungover, high, or still drunk. Feels like home. Lily and Peony have ear mites. I think the nag left something for that in the horse bag. – K

6.6.45

Got bored last night and wandered around town. Place is gross. Saw a bunch of fights in the gutters. Think someone died there. No one gave a shit about me. Even the turtle-rats hide after dark in this place. Wonder if I keep sleeping in the stables they won’t make me pay for the bed inside. – K

6.7.45

Wandered again. Lots of bad teeth here. Someone offered to buy my eyepatch. Considered it to piss the nag off, but he gave a shit price so no. Lily and Peony’s mites aren’t going away, and Qin has them now. Doubt anyone in this sewer of a town has something better, but maybe the innkeeper would know. Maybe I can get one of the old farts to ask. – K

6.8.45

The old farts found me in the stables this morning and flipped their shit. Said they thought I died or ran away. Like shit I’d leave them in charge of the featherbrains. They made me eat breakfast with them and listen to them yap. Invited me to their weakass drill. I’ll go if I’m bored. Can’t let the nag beat me when they get back. Maybe someone in town will fight me. If there’s anyone in town still alive tonight. – K

6.9.45

Found where people are hiding. Apparently there’s fights held in an old barn thing on the beach, or what they call a beach. I wanted to find an iguana-seal, but I got to beat the shit out of a few guys so it worked out. They gave me some stupid nickname I don’t care about and paid me. My ass is a bruise and I broke a finger, but it could be worse. Something to do that’s not the old farts’ drill. They were pissed at first that I found their “secret” fights. They’re probably illegal or some shit. Since I don’t give a swimming shit, I guess, they invited me back. Every other night in the salty barn. Something to do. Ear mites are worse. Nag’s medicine is crap. – K

6.9.45

One of the old farts found me in the stables and offered to help with the ear mites. I think he used to be the animal guy. He also flipped his shit about my finger but, whatever, the ass hurts more. Said he knows a guy outside town who’s good with plants and animals. I can’t stand watching them try to scratch their ears with their wings. Hopefully this guy has a fix. Maybe teach it to me so I can show up the nag. Maybe knows where the iguana-seals live around here. – K

6.10.45

Guy’s a fucker.

6.11.45

Fucker did give us something better for the ear mites, though, but not before riding my ass about asking for help sooner. Whatever. His house was cool, crawling with animals I’ve never met before that all seemed happy as a pig-chicken in shit to be there. Gotta learn what he did without talking to him again. He yelled at me about my finger too, but also a bunch of other shit I thought was done dealing with without the nag around. Told the old fart to bring me back tomorrow, so I’ll be anywhere but there. Time to go check out the salty barn. – K

6.12.45

Broke more fingers. Hurts to write. Got a shiner on my good eye. Hurts to see. But I only lost once. Nice payout. Ear mites seem better, but featherbrains hate the smell of the new stuff. I do too. Probably why it works. Think I busted my knee. Time to hide. – K

6.12.45

No use, they found me. Got chewed out again. Yelled back. I ain’t their kid. Went over well. Old farts left me at the fucker’s house so he could bitch over me, but he just splinted my fingers and threw meat at my face and left me in this stupid storeroom. Not even letting me meet the animals. He’s got a rabbiroo hopping around out there and I’m stuck in here _._ Gotta bust out. – K

6.12.45

Writing by moonlight. He caught me trying to escape when I stopped for the rabbiroo. Her name is Mengwa and she has a broken foot that healed wrong. He showed me what he was doing for her and where she likes her ears scratched, then I got attacked by a marmot-goat, but his horns were shaved down, so it didn’t really hurt. They all have problems. Fucker said he’s the only one around who cares enough to fix them and put them back in the mountains or the ocean or the forest or whenever they’re supposed to be. He’s got a few too hurt or too far away to return. Those are the best. The otter-sloth likes me. She’s asleep on me now. The fucker said I could stay until she moved, but it’s past dark now and she hasn’t moved. As soon as she does I’m bringing Juniper here, he needs more animal contact besides the featherbrains. – K

6.13.45

Woke up on the fucker’s floor with the otter-sloth and the rabbiroo on me. They’re really fucking hot. The old fart was laughing at me, but I couldn’t kick his ass without waking them up. At least the fucker shared breakfast. Almost made me miss the runt. The old fart brought Juniper this time, but he was overwhelmed and tried to hide down my shirt. He’ll come around. The fucker helped me out from under the stuffed fur coats and made me help feed everyone as payment or some shit. He just knows free labor when he sees it. I think he did magic on me in my sleep. I don’t ache anywhere except where I slept on. Even the fingers are better. He must have fed me something funky. The nag used that trick on me too, but I could always taste his rotten meds. Fucker’s a wily one. Gotta keep my eye out. – K

6.13.45

Killing time until I can run away and punch someone. Fucker told me how he got his animals. They’re all illegal, mostly smuggled through this shit town for rich-ass people to keep in cages and watch them fight. Can’t fucking get away from that shit. Said he’s got traps all around his house and the pasture out back for poachers and he catches a few every week. Sometimes his few friends in town with a fucking conscience bring the sorry blighters to him, sometimes he steals or tricks them away from the smugglers, but mostly he just buys them. Must either be broke as hell or loaded as hell. The injured ones were ones he found after they’d already fought, or been tortured, or whatever sickheads do around here to things that never did anything wrong to them. Explains why some of them were shy, but the otter-sloth (I named her Moss since the fucker hadn’t named her yet) held onto my back all day, and that helped some. Juniper wasn’t happy, but he’ll make friends or the nag can have him.

The fucker and the old farts are friends, I guess. All of them came over for supper and only bitched a little that it was all plants. Assholes. Moss tried to slash one of them when he tried to pet her. I’m keeping her forever. But I still need to punch someone in the dick. – K

6.14.45

Won a lot cleaner last night. Felt good. Broke a rib. Tried to go back to the fucker’s place but he never showed me his traps so I got caught in a hole. Slept like shit down there until he found me in the morning. Didn’t ask where I went, but I’d eat Moss if he didn’t know. Left me with some ice and that ‘I’m not mad just disappointed’ look the boss is good at. That felt like shit. But Moss was happy to see me. Worth her kicking my broken rib. He let her in the storeroom this time, and Juniper. I think she would have cried at the door if he didn’t. Maybe I can buy her with the fight money. – K

6.14.45

Slept all damn day. Fucker didn’t wake me up or anything. Now I’m wide awake in the middle of the night and it’s his fault. Told me that they cancelled my room back at the buggy inn, since I was never there and wasting money. Surprised it took this long. The old farts brought up half the featherbrains to exercise in the fucker’s pasture in the day, but took them back down so they could be lying. Told the fucker to wake me up if they did it again. Those are _my_ featherbrains, dammit.

Moss’s whiskers tickle. It’s the worst thing about her. The rest of her is soft as shit and silky as fuck, even with the algae in her fur, and her claws could use buffing. The fucker’s gotta have something for that around here. – K

6.14.45

Can’t sleep. All wired up. The cat-owl’s up with me on the porch. He’s good company. It’s quiet here on the fucker’s farm despite all the animals. He’s got a nice place. Probably because the border traps keep out the pests. I want to live here when I’m old. Maybe then people will leave me alone. Couldn’t do it now. Stupid Seijoh’s got me hyped up on running. I couldn’t leave the nag in charge of Juniper, or the featherbrains, or Happy. Still don’t know enough about Happy. I should have gone on up to the North Pole this time around so I could meet all the snow animals up there. But then I wouldn’t have Moss in my lap making it hard to write. Maybe next time. If there’s a next time. I couldn’t keep Moss from her family, I guess, if the fucker lets me keep her.

I forgot what it felt like to be really beat up. Kind of sucks. At least drill pain is more ache than pain. They’re not trying to kill me anymore. Maybe I should take tomorrow night off from the barn. It ain’t like they can do anything about it besides not pay me. Running out of space in my bag anyway. – K

6.15.45

Fucker woke up at dawn and talked at me until we had to feed everyone. At least he never bugs me to talk back. Think he slipped pain meds in my tea again. Everything’s fuzzy, but my hands don’t hurt. He’s out on some forest errand and left me in charge. Not sure what that means. Animals run the roost just fine without a human in the way. I think I’ll just copy Moss and take a nap in the grass. – K

6.15.45

Fucker totally knows what’s up. He got all the old farts to come over for dinner and now they’re all drunk and loud on the porch and won’t let me leave. I just snuck into the kitchen – they’re calling for me already. Guess I’m getting that time off from the salty barn. – K

6.16.45

Found one of the barn ring runners in a trap this morning. Fucker wouldn’t let me kick his ass. Guy was out of his mind, starting yelling at me as soon as he saw me. Said I lost him money or something and that I couldn’t set foot in town again without a reckoning. Whatever. Fucker had the gorilla-goat take him out with the trash. Didn’t ask me what he was talking about so he definitely knows what’s up. Still won’t ask. Probably one of those assholes who wants me to come to them. Surprise, motherfucker. But he left me alone with the featherbrains the old farts brought over yesterday. It’s nice to talk to them again. They’re good birds, no matter what anyone says. I’m sitting on the fence now while they meet some of the fucker’s birds. They’re socializing well enough, but a few of them are too close to me and hiding from the new birds. Time to lead them over. – K

6.17.45

It’s nice here. Now that the animals know who I am, fucker lets me do the morning feed on my own. It’s cold here, but it’s nothing a jacket or an otter-sloth backpack can’t fix. Can’t stop thinking about that old house we used to go to in the summer on the lake beach when I was a brat. Course, we stopped going after Mom. Probably for the best. It would be total shit if Dad had the chance to shit all over it like everything else. Fucker’s place has that same frozen feeling. Can’t explain it.

Might skip fighting again tonight. Still sore, and the bastards need to learn a lesson. Don’t want to leave Moss all by herself, even if she keeps trying to eat my brush.

Fucker’s awake. Breakfast. – K

6.17.45

Busy today. Lots of animals means lots of work. Tired but in a good way. Fucker mostly keeps to himself, not saying much that doesn’t need to be said. I hate chatty. Shithead’s the worst at that. Glad it’s not universal to all boss-types.

Decided not to fight. Nothing to spend this money on in this shit town. And fucker’s making leek stew. Can’t miss that. – K

6.18.45

Another asshole in a trap today. This one was one of the tree traps. Found him while fucker was still inside because of the screaming so I got rid of him myself. Threatened me some more. With what? Idiot. Like I even want to walk the streets of their shit town.

Didn’t tell the fucker. Doesn’t need to know. They don’t mean shit anyway. Gotta trim Moss’s claws. She’s taken to grooming me and blood is hell to get out of hair. – K

6.18.45

Fucker went for a walk this afternoon. He never leaves his farm or the forest around it, so I followed him. He ran some boring errands for a long ass time before he went down to the salty barn’s back door. Hoped to hell he wasn’t trying to speak on my behalf or some shit. All I know is he went in with just a bag and came back with a bag and a box. Came over to my spot and asked for help carrying it. Wanted to kick his ass, but the thing had airholes in it so I helped. Wasn’t super heavy, but it moved a lot and yelled at us. Pretty sure he’s one of those black market animals he said he bought from traders. No idea why they’re in that salty barn. I’ll figure it out later. For now he’s got me sitting by the new arrival’s pen, getting him used to nice people and other animals. He’s a boar-dog. He’s got these metal spikes embedded in his tusks and mange everywhere. Probably made him fight before. He’s obviously terrified of men, which makes sense. Wonder if the fucker’s got a chick around for these cases. Should tell him to get her down here sometime. He seems okay with Moss, though, but I won’t let her press her luck until we can knock him out and get those spurs out. Wonder how much the fucker paid for him. I can at least cover some of it. Shithead still has to pay me for dragging my ass across the kingdom. At least I didn’t have to go to the North Pole with them. Ice and me aren’t friends. Bet they’re all freezing their asses off up there.

He’s settling down. Gonna see if I can get Bell the pygmy panther to come over. Everyone loves her. – K

6.19.45

Fucker is a fucker.

He stayed up the night with the new boy. Only found out when I went to feed them and he was sitting on the fence. They weren’t total friends yet, but the boar-dog was closer than he ever got to me and napping. Fucker. What’s he got that I don’t? He helped me finish with the feed, then went inside to give the boy some space and make breakfast. Normally he acts like I’m not there unless he needs something, but he was shifty today. Told him to spit it out. Finally asked me what I was doing at the salty barn. Said I’d been fighting because I was bored. He gave me a boss look and started going on about how I shouldn’t let myself be treated like I wouldn’t let one of the animals be treated. Took me a while to realize he wasn’t just being self-care preachy but implying there was something going on with why the black market ring was in the salty barn. Thought I left this shit behind me. Guess I was wrong. Yelled at him for not telling me and left. Sitting with the featherbrains now. They cool me down, even though they’re dumb as dirt. Li Ban is my desk right now which is why it’s so shaky. But I skipped out without eating. Guess I can go back and let him tell me why he only buys one animal at a time instead of throwing the barn into the ocean. – K

6.19.45

Fucker half-apologized for not telling me about salty barn’s cockfighting bullshit. Assumed I knew. Like fuck I’d still go back if I knew. Money they made on me probably went to Cherry’s price. Cherry is the boar-dog. Have to feed him extra scraps under the table until I leave. Yelled about that a while until he gave up. Said he tried to stop it a long time ago but they just kept coming back, like roaches. Guess I get that. Tried to offer my money for it but he wouldn’t take it. Says he has donors for that. No idea who he’s fucking talking about that would have money in this shithole but it’s gotta come from somewhere, I guess. Sugar mama back in Ba Sing Se. He doesn’t sell anything, not even milk or eggs. Seen him give them away to anyone who asks. And they’re good.

I’m not going back tonight. They can all go jump in the ocean and join the bottom-dwellers they’re kin to. Besides, it’s my turn to stay up with Cherry. – K

6.20.45

Cherry’s a lot better today. Let the fucker put mange medicine on him after he taught me how to make it. Found more bottom-dwellers in the traps today. Told them I was done. Tried to threaten me with rocks, but I know how to fight that now. One good thing the old farts are for. They ran like babies so maybe now they’ll leave us alone. Old farts are supposed to come up later to help exercise the featherbrains and eat our food. Might talk to them about joining me for a raid of the salty barn. If anyone can clear out a shithole they can. Probably think it’s a funbucket, too. Can’t let the fucker in on it but it should work. He’ll find out when we bring back whatever we find. – K

6.20.45

We’re going tonight. One of the old farts knew that the off-days of people fights are animal fights and got themselves all fired up. They’re all like little kids let loose on the playground with no parents. Idiots. But fucker’s in the back with Cherry, so time to get out. One good thing about the bottom dwellers tries to get in here is I know where all the traps are now. Now if only I can get Moss to stay behind without crying. – K

6.21.45

Kicked some serious ass last night. Think the old farts had too much fun. Surprised them in the middle of a fight and set the animals loose on them. Didn’t do as much damage as I would have liked but definitely broke some bones on other people for once. Most of the animals were local and vanished into the night, and I was focused more on the people, but we managed to grab a few of the ones in shittier condition and haul them up here. Some have obviously been in pisspoor shape for ages, but we can get them back up again. Fucker heard all the fuss and came out when we got there. Yelled a bit. Think he was okay with it though. Helped us with the beasts. Earthbender made themselves useful and raised some new enclosures in the way back by the woods. It’s gonna be work cleaning up everybody and fixing them up. Gotta learn a lot. Feeding time now. – K

6.22.45

Old farts are having a grand old time with their new fame. Keeping talking shit and shaking strangers’ hards. Also keep bringing up donated food from town. Apparently no one liked those bottomfeeders. Food’s good at least. They need to stop treating me like a pet or whatever yesterday though. Stop touching me. Asshats.

Fucker and I have been busy all day fixing up the new guys. They’re in rough shape. May need extra hands, even with the old farts. Only got a break now to feed the regulars. Whiny babies aren’t used to being anything but the center of attention. Time to pet some wild animals. – K

6.23.45

Locals keep showing up to help with the new kids. Fucker won’t let me kick them out. Making me teach them instead. All the kids look at me like I’m gonna eat them. Kids taste awful. The old farts are giving them bad impressions that want to talk and be touched. I’m hiding with Cherry now. People still give his pen a berth. He’s warmed up to me a lot. Still had the shit in his tusks, but doesn’t scream when I walk by. Progress.

Moss is loving the attention. Giant ham. Kinda weird not having her on me now though. Kids better not comb her too much or we’ll have to regrow her algae. She’s had worse, I guess. – K

6.24.45

Had no idea there were so many families in this shit town. Coming out of the woodwork now. It’s as much work keeping them from the biters as it is to take care of the beasts. At least we have plenty of extra feeding hands. Now I get why fucker was so happy to use me. Old farts say the town’s like a coronation day down in the valley. Keep that shit out of my life. Can’t pay me to go down there until we have to get out of this joint. Never thought I would be looking to see those jerks again. Fucker’s farm isn’t bad, but I’m tired of all these visitors. Tired of having to talk and be nice. At least with them I don’t have to be nice. The old farts just laugh at me now. Guess it’s okay. They say the rest of the group should be back any day now. Guess I showed really talk to the fucker about buying Moss. – K

6.24.45

Fucker won’t take my money. Says Moss goes where she pleases, so if she wants to come with me he won’t stop her. Gonna hide it in the rice bucket or something. I don’t need it. Money sucks. Unless it’s for thirty injured animals. Moss says it’s bedtime. – K

6.25.45

Another day of too many people and fighting to keep too many different animals alive. We lost one last night, a lion-vulture plucked dry by the bottom-feeders. Big boy, so we had to get earthbenders to help. Thought burial would just be us, but some of the volunteers showed up and paid their respects. Guess they’re not too bad. We just don’t want to lose any more. Even some of the animals are helping. Keeping the sick ones warm and not-alone. Some humans think it’s weird, but most humans don’t think animals have emotions. They just show them different.

Everyone was bitching about waking up in the night. Something about the world shaking after midnight. I was awake and it did not. Must be in the valley water. – K

6.26.45

Well. Bitching yesterday was about an earthquake in the mountains. Too far away from town to do much more than wake people up here, but road travelers are coming back saying it’s a total wreck. Even with bending it’ll take forever to clean up. The old farts are going to help with the day crowd, so I have to go too. Moss is coming to see how she does out of the farm. Fucker’s staying behind – still got the sick animals. Have to leave them behind, but a lot of the kids and nonbenders at staying with that crisis so he has some extra hands. Hopefully we get the road cleared before the rest are back. – K

6.27.45

Road is fucking trashed for miles. I think a couple mountains fell. Gonna take a while to clean it all out. At least no one lives out here. If they do they’re dead or on their own. Moss did good today, although she never let me go. I ended up handling the rubble carts’ featherbrains, keeping them down in the aftershocks and human bullshit. Might see if the fucker will let me take the gorilla-goat tomorrow for some exercise. Earthbenders are good, but it’s still a mountain.

One of the old farts got a letter from the rest of the group while we were out. They’ll be back in a few days. We would write back about the road, but what’s the point? They’ll figure it out pretty fast once they get here. Gonna be fun watching the shithead break down over his perfectly perfect schedule. Sleep time. – K

6.28.45

Road work is so much worse than animal work. Now they expect me to come back before dawn with the gorilla-goat and the kangabear. Maybe we’ll find a badgermole and train him to help instead. Maybe then I won’t be so tired. – K

6.29.45

Everyone from town is pitching in to help with road reconstruction. It’s weird working by people you thought were dead in a ditch. Guess all they needed to get their shit together was a group project.

Obviously no one has been able to get through from the other side yet, but water trade is still on. Most of the ship rats could give a single shit about land trouble. Got a few of the crews helping us, though. Probably either getting paid or need to get paid by someone on the other side. Whatever. Work is work.

Fucker still has to stay behind to take care of the hospital the farm has become. Let me take Cotton (the gorilla-goat) and the kangabear Raspberry out again. Probably so he has a few less giants to worry about. The old farts are good with them, and Cotton gets it now. Took the kangabear a bit, but Cotton’s a good teacher. He’s always listened well and likes carrying things. Humans only give him a normal distance now instead of acting like he’ll eat their face off. He likes apples and lettuce best anyway.

Moss is good with strangers. Not surprised. Think people are pretending to like me so they can pet her. Whatever. Taking her when I leave. – K

6.30.45

One good thing about having to work outside all day up here is that it’s summer and I’m not dead. Not cold, but it’s not Ba Sing Se humid hot. Good for the animals too. Most of them are mountain or forest.

One of the bottom-dwellers’ muscle guys came to me on the road today. Said some bullshit apology. Old farts made me accept it. Said he always felt bad for animals and wanted to learn how to get them to do stuff because they wanted to, not because they were hurt to do it. Guess Cotton and Raspberry weren’t around him much because they aren’t scared of him. Pissed me off. But he seems to have a healthy fear of them and listens to me and the old farts when we tell him what to do. Still not leaving him alone with them. – K

7.1.45

The old farts and that one bottom-dweller helped me with three of the farm’s heavyweights today. Cotton and Raspberry are having too much fun throwing rocks around. New girl is a komodo dragon fucker got from a Fire Nation skirmish the other guys lost. Never did say when or where that was or what he was doing there. Been keeping her back so people don’t freak out about the Fire nation, but without her whole getup she’s barely recognizable as a Fire Nation native. Some of the loaner ship rats must have been Fire Nation at some point because they know her kind. Nice to her. Helped me get her moving. She’s a good girl, just stubborn, like Happy. It’ll be nice to see her horns again at least. See how much blood is on them. Hope the shithead’s brushing her. – K

7.2.45

Shithead and the gang are back. Fun’s over. – K


End file.
